Trustee Treasurer
Volunteer role (reasonable expenses reimbursed)
Location: Remote (Poole-based charity; meetings held online/hybrid)
Time commitment: Around 4 to 6 hours per month on average, with extra time needed around budgeting and year-end accounts
Term: 1 year, eligible for re-election annually
Board meetings: Approximately 6 per year (online/hybrid)
What you’ll do
You’ll join the Board as Trustee Treasurer and help provide clear, steady oversight of the charity’s financial governance. Working with fellow trustees and any staff or external support, you’ll help ensure the charity’s finances are well managed, transparent, and aligned with its purpose and values.
You’ll help the board make confident decisions so the charity can sustain and grow its work. You don’t need prior trustee experience if you can offer financial insight, integrity, and a willingness to contribute at board level.
If you’re an experienced Treasurer, or you’d like this to be your first trustee role, we’d love to hear from you.
Key responsibilities
You’ll help the Board to:
- Maintain oversight of financial affairs and ensure appropriate controls and procedures are in place
- Ensure proper accounting records are maintained, and resources are safeguarded and used in line with the charity’s purposes
- Review income, expenditure and cash flow, and flag risks or concerns early
- Provide oversight of payroll processes and contractor payments, supporting segregation of duties where possible
- Support key financial policies such as reserves (and investment policy where relevant)
- Lead or support annual budget-setting, monitor performance against budget, and support sustainability and longer-term planning
- Ensure the Board receives clear financial information and present updates at trustee meetings to support informed decision-making
- Oversee annual accounts, liaise with the independent examiner (or auditors if applicable), and support timely Charity Commission submissions
- Act as the Board’s lead on financial governance matters
What you’ll get from the role
- A full trustee induction, plus support to get up to speed on the charity’s finances and current processes
- The chance to make a real difference behind the scenes, helping the Board make confident decisions
- Opportunities to develop your governance experience and deepen your financial oversight skills
- A welcoming board environment where constructive challenge is valued
This role will suit you if you
Essential
- Have knowledge of (or affinity with) Christian Science and/or faith-based community work and the ability to represent the charity’s purpose and values appropriately and sensitively
- Can read, interpret and explain budgets, management accounts and cash flow to non-finance trustees
- Bring integrity, sound judgement, and the confidence to ask the right questions
- Work well with others and can offer constructive challenge and support
- Can commit the time and follow through on agreed actions
Desirable
- Charity finance or trustee experience
- Accounting/bookkeeping/controls/risk background
- Experience working with an independent examiner/auditor
- Familiarity with charity reporting (including SORP awareness)
- Experience chairing or contributing to a finance committee
About us
You’ll be supporting a Poole-based registered charity (England & Wales) that serves as a central resource for Christian Science literature and activities. You don’t need to be a Christian Scientist to apply, but you should be comfortable supporting and representing the charity’s purpose and values as a trustee.
Inclusion and accessibility
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and life experiences. If you need adjustments at any stage of the process, please tell us what would help.
Safer recruitment, eligibility and declarations
We’re committed to safeguarding and to taking reasonable steps to protect everyone who comes into contact with the charity. Appointments will be subject to proportionate safer recruitment checks and declarations, which may include references and verification of identity.
This includes confirmation that you are not disqualified from acting as a charity trustee under the Charity Commission’s automatic disqualification rules, and a conflict of interest declaration with agreement on how any conflicts will be managed.
A DBS check will only be considered where it is legally eligible and proportionate to the activities of the role.
How to apply
Please submit your CV along with a statement of up to one page explaining your interest in supporting the charity’s purpose and values in a Trustee capacity, and any relevant experience.
- Closing date: 10 May 2026 (we may review applications as they’re received)
- Interviews: Remote via Microsoft Teams
Note: We reserve the right to close early if we appoint before the closing date.
Thank you!
Creative Support is a national not-for-profit social care and supported housing provider with charitable status. We deliver personalised care and support for younger and older adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, physical disabilities and those at risk of homelessness or social exclusion.
Creative Support is governed by a dedicated Board of Trustees with expertise across social care, health, housing, finance, legal and related fields. As our current Chair approaches the end of her term, we are seeking a new Chair with senior social care experience and a strong understanding of commissioning, quality, risk, workforce, regulation and partnership working. The ideal candidate will champion our values and mission and lead with clarity and compassion.
About Creative Support:
We are one of the UK’s largest social care providers, supporting over 6,000 people each year across 70 local authorities and employing around 5,000 staff. With an annual turnover of £197 million, we are also a registered social housing provider with over 1,000 supported housing units and significant housing assets.
Creative Support is an Investor in People Gold employer, a Stonewall Diversity Champion and an inclusive organisation committed to increasing Board representation from BAME, LGBTQ+ and disabled communities, with zero tolerance for discrimination.
Our Mission and Values:
Creative Support promotes independence, inclusion, and wellbeing. We do this by working with the people we support, their families and others to meet individual needs and aspirations in a person-centred way. We provide high quality homes and support, enabling people to say:
- I live my best life in a place I call home
- I feel listened to, respected and valued
- I enjoy choices and rights and have control over my life
- I am supported to feel safe
- I am doing the things that matter to me
- I enjoy relationships with others
- I am connected to my community
- I am supported with my wellbeing
- I feel able to reach my full potential
Our We Care values underpin everything we do at Creative Support. We are: Welcoming, Empowering, Compassionate, Aspirational, Respectful, Effective.
About the Role:
The Chair is responsible for leading the Board, ensuring effective governance, and holding the Chief Executive and Board to account for delivering our mission, vision and strategy. The role involves providing inclusive leadership, ensuring Trustees understand their responsibilities, and working closely with the Executive Team to offer oversight, support and constructive challenge.
We are looking for a highly motivated individual with senior-level social care expertise, a commitment to our charitable purpose and person-centred values, and a belief in co-production with the people we support. The Chair must demonstrate vision, sound judgement and an inclusive, respectful leadership style.
The Chair is expected to commit sufficient time to:
- Attend six annual Board meetings, and relevant committee meetings (typically 2–3 hours in duration);
- Prepare thoroughly for meetings, including reading papers in advance;
- Lead the induction, support and supervision of Trustees;
- Undertake appraisal and support of the Chief Executive Officer;
- Act as an ambassador for Creative Support at internal and external events.
- Visit national services and engage with staff, the people who we support, and tenants.
The estimated time commitment for the Chair is approximately 4 days per month/48 days per year, although this may increase in response to organisational needs or during periods of change. Appointments are made for an initial period of 3 years and are subject to an annual appraisal. Terms begin at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in which the Chair is appointed.
The role of Chair of the Board of Trustees is remunerated in recognition of the significant time, responsibility and contribution required. The current remuneration for the Chair is £12,000 per annum, payable in monthly instalments of £1,000. This payment is taxable and is processed through the organisation’s payroll. Trustees, including the Chair, are appointed as office holders and are therefore neither workers nor employees. Remuneration arrangements are subject to periodic review in line with the organisation’s governance and remuneration policies.
We also pay all reasonable expenses associated with the role, including travel, overnight accommodation, subsistence and child care expenses if needed. Appointment will be made subject to the following satisfactory checks:
- References
- Declarations of Interest
- Fit and Proper Person Check
- Personal Declarations
- Enhanced DBS
- A £1.00 payment for shareholding membership (this can be provided in person when you first attend our Head Office)
We can send you a copy of our most recent Annual Report & Accounts - details on how to request this can be located on this roles listing on our company website or consult the FCA Mutuals Website, type in Creative Support and search under ‘documents’. You will find all previous annual reports and accounts listed and these can be viewed or downloaded at no cost.
Please note that Creative Support is a Community Benefit Society with charitable status registered with the FCA, not a company or registered charity so you will not be able to access information about Creative Support via Companies House or the Charity Commission.
Recruitment Timeline:
Closing Date for Applications: 13 May 2026
Meet and Greet and Stakeholder interview panel: 17 June 2026
Final panel interviews: 30 June 2026
Offer and recruitment checks: July - August 2026
Co-opt at Board meeting: 10 September 2026
Formal vote at Annual General Meeting: 24 September 2026
Please keep these dates available upon application
Registered Charity
501 - 1000
Creative Support is a not for profit provider of person centered care and support
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.